Sunday, May 17, 2009

Sri Pada is a sacred mountain, believed to carry an imprint of the Buddha's foot. Other names are Ratnagiri, and Svargarohanam. It is sometimes known to Muslims and Christians as Adam's peak, from an early legend that identified Lanka with the garden of Eden. It is 2,243 meter (7,360 feet) tall, conical, mountain located in central Sri Lanka.

6°49N 80°30E. Sacred mountain in Sri Lanka, rising to 2243 m/7359 ft NE of Ratnapura; pilgrimages are made (Dec?Apr) to the foot-shaped hollow found on the mountain's summit, believed to be the footprint of Buddha by Buddhists, of Adam by Muslims, of the god Siva by Hindus, and of St Thomas the Apostle by some Christians.

Sri Pada, also known as Adam's Peak or Adam's Mount, is a 2,243 metre (7,360 feet) tall, conical, mountain located in central Sri Lanka.

Geography

The mountain itself, is located in the southern reaches of the Central Highlands, in the Ratnapura district of the Sabaragamuwa Province - lying about 20 km northeast of the city of Ratnapura.

Both Ratnapura, and Ratnagiri (a historic term used to refer to the mountain), are derived from the Sinhala words rathna, meaning gem, and pura, meaning city - due to vast gem mines located in the region.

Access to the mountain is generally provided by a bus that travels between Siripada and the nearby town of Maskeliya, to the northeast.

Nomenclature

Due to its historical significance to the various peoples that inhabit the region, the mountain, itself, is referred to by a variety of terms.

Shivanolipatha Malai and Shiva padam are two Tamil names holding similar meanings, but both refer to the footprint as being that of the Hindu deity Shiva rather than that of the Buddha.

The Sinhala name of the mountain is Samanalakanda, which is said to refer either to the deity Saman, who is said to live upon the mountain, or to the butterflies (samanalaya) that frequent the mountain during their annual migrations to the region.

The Sacred Mountain

It is revered as a holy site by Buddhists, Hindus, and to a lesser extent by Jews, Muslims and Christians.

Legends

The mountain can only be scaled from December to May. During other months it is hard to climb the mountain due to very heavy rain, jet wind and thick mist.

The footprint mark is said by Buddhists to be that of the left foot of the Buddha, left behind as he strode away, the right footprint being (depending on legend) in Amphoe Phra Phutthabat, Saraburi Province, located about 150 kilometres northeast of Bangkok, Thailand.

Tamil Hindus consider it to be the footprint of Shiva.

Some Islamic traditions too hold that Adam and his companion were moved to Sri Lanka as the next best thing to Eden.

A shrine to Saman, a Buddhist "deity" (People who have done yeoman service to regions are deitified by Sri Lankans) charged with protecting the mountain top, can be found near the footprint.

Other information

This mountain also produces a very high grade White Tea, known as Adams Peak White Tea.

This mountain is also the setting and title of the Pahan Silu song Siripada (2006).